Samsung files countersuit against Apple

Bloomberg News

Published 4:00 am, Friday, April 22, 2011

Photo: Ahn Young-joon, AP

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Samsung Electronics' Galaxy S, left, and Apple's iPhone 4 are displayed at the headquarters of South Korean mobile carrier KT in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, April 22, 2011. South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co. says it sued Apple Inc. for patent rights violations, only days after Apple sued Samsung for the same reason.(AP Photo/Ahn Young-joon)
Ran on: 04-23-2011
Samsung, maker of the Galaxy S (left), and Apple, maker of the iPhone 4 (right), are suing each other. less

Samsung Electronics' Galaxy S, left, and Apple's iPhone 4 are displayed at the headquarters of South Korean mobile carrier KT in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, April 22, 2011. South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co. ... more

Photo: Ahn Young-joon, AP

Samsung files countersuit against Apple

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PATENTS

Samsung, Apple accuse each other of copying

Samsung Electronics Co. sued Apple Inc. claiming patent infringement, a week after the iPhone maker filed a complaint in U.S. federal court alleging the South Korean company copied its products.

Steve Dowling, a spokesman for Apple, declined to comment and referred to the company's complaint filed last week.

The move deepens a legal dispute that's pitting the maker of the iPhone and iPad against the producer of the Galaxy mobile devices amid surging demand for smart phones and tablet computers. Chief Executive Officer Steve Jobs, who relies on Samsung to supply chips for Apple products, said last month the company was among the tablet makers angling to make 2011 the "Year of Copycats."

"Apple is trying to annoy Samsung - they're throwing a ball at Samsung to keep them in check," said Chang Sea Jin, a business professor at National University of Singapore. "This is strictly business. The typical way to deal with cases like this is to countersue. It's not between the management of Samsung and Apple. Their lawyers will work it out."

GOVERNMENT

Google's lobbying costs up in 1st quarter

Google's lobbying costs are rising along with most of the company's other expenses as the Internet search leader's expansion plans and privacy breaches draw more government scrutiny.

The Mountain View company spent $1.48 million making its points with lawmakers and regulators during the first three months of the year, according to documents filed Thursday. That's the most money Google has devoted to government lobbying during any quarter since the company opened its lobbying office in Washington in 2005.

Google's first-quarter lobbying bill represented a 7 percent increase from $1.38 million last year. Google spent slightly less on lobbying in each of the next three quarters last year.

MANUFACTURING

Research firm lowers iPad estimates

IHS iSuppli cut its forecast for iPad shipments this year by 9 percent after Apple Inc. failed to meet demand in the first quarter.

The electronics maker will probably ship 39.7 million iPad tablet computers this year, according to iSuppli, which made an estimate of 43.7 million in February. A shortfall in iPad 2 production during the first three months of 2011 prompted the cut, the research company said Friday.

Apple probably faced quality concerns over liquid-crystal displays and shortages of speakers, which disrupted supply of the tablets, iSuppli said.

PRIVACY

Austria sets rules for Street View

Google won conditional approval from Austrian data-protection authorities to offer its Street View mapping service in the country should it choose to do so.

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In addition to blurring faces and car license plates ahead of publication, Google must in some cases blur a person's entire image as well as pictures of private properties that are not visible to pedestrians, Eva Souhrada-Kirchmayer, executive director at Austria's data-protection commission said Friday. While Google welcomed the approval, it "has no immediate plans" to start Street View in Austria, said Google spokesman Kay Oberbeck.

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